Abstract: Proposed is a novel undercoating composition to form an undercoating layer interposed between the surface of a substrate and a photoresist layer with an object to decrease the adverse influences by the reflection of light on the substrate surface in the pattern-wise exposure of the photoresist layer to ultraviolet light without the undesirable phenomena of intermixing between layers and notching along with a large selectivity ratio in the etching rates between the patterned resist layer and the undercoating layer in a dry-etching treatment. The undercoating composition comprises (A) an ultraviolet absorber which is a benzophenone compound or an aromatic azomethine compound each having at least one unsubstituted or alkyl-substituted amino group on the aryl groups and (B) a crosslinking agent which is preferably a melamine compound having at least two methylol groups or alkoxymethyl groups bonded to the nitrogen atoms in a molecule in a weight proportion (A):(B) in the range from 1:1 to 1:10.

Abstract: Proposed is a novel negative-working chemical-sensitization photoresist composition used in the photolithographic patterning work for the manufacture of semiconductor devices and the like and capable of giving a patterned resist layer with high sensitivity and pattern resolution as well as excellent heat resistance and excellently orthogonal cross sectional profile of the patterned resist layer. The composition comprises, as a uniform solution:(A) 100 parts by weight of an alkali-soluble resin which is a polyhydroxystyrene-based resin having a weight-average molecular weight of at least 2000;(B) from 3 to 70 parts by weight of an acid-crosslinkable compound which is an amino resin having hydroxyalkyl and/or alkoxyalkyl groups;(C) from 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of a radiation-sensitive acid-generating compound selected from several types of specific oximesulfonate compounds; and(D) from 0.

Abstract: A proposal is made for the photolithographic formation of a patterned resist layer on a substrate without the troubles due to reflection of the exposure light on the substrate surface. Thus, patterning is conducted on a photoresist laminate comprising (a) a substrate; (b) a specific anti-reflection coating layer formed on one surface of the substrate; and (c) a photoresist layer formed on the anti-reflection coating layer from a specific negative-working chemical-sensitization photoresist composition comprising an oxime sulfonate acid generating agent.

Abstract: Proposed is a novel undercoating composition used in the photolithographic patterning of a photoresist layer by intervening between the substrate surface and the photoresist layer to decrease the adverse influences of the reflecting light from the substrate surface. The undercoating composition of the invention comprises (a) a melamine compound substituted by methylol groups and/or alkoxymethyl groups and (b) a polyhydroxy benzophenone compound, diphenyl sulfone compound or diphenyl sulfoxide compound, optionally, with admixture of (c) an alkali-insoluble resin of a (meth)acrylic acid ester.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel high-sensitivity positive- and negative-working chemical-sensitization photoresist compositions capable of giving a highly heat-resistant patterned resist layer of high resolution having excellently orthogonal cross sectional profile without being influenced by standing waves. The composition contains, as an acid generating agent by irradiation with actinic rays, a specific cyano-substituted oximesulfonate compound such as .alpha.-(methylsulfonyloxyimino)-4-methoxybenzyl cyanide. The advantages obtained by the use of this specific acid-generating agent is remarkable when the film-forming resinous ingredient has such a molecular weight distribution that the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight to the number-average molecular weight does not exceed 3.5.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device wherein the device is manufactured according to extracted process parameters. The process parameters are extracted as a set of optimum process parameters which satisfy an intended specification using process functions. The process functions describe a characteristic of the semiconductor device, and are determined using experimental values and/or simulated values. The process parameters may then be transmitted online to a factory.

Abstract: A compact image formation apparatus forms an image on an image support, discharges the image support supporting an image to an outside of the apparatus and facilitates jam removal. The image formation apparatus has all operation portions for performing operations from the outside of the image formation apparatus located on three operation faces including a top face, a front, and either a left side face or a right side face of the image formation apparatus. A rear face and the other of the left side face or right side face of the image formation apparatus are set to be non-operation faces.

Abstract: Proposed is an alkali-developable negative-working photoresist composition in the form of a solution capable of exhibiting high sensitivity and greatly improved stability of the resist layer of the composition on a substrate surface after pattern-wise exposure to actinic rays and kept for a substantial length of time before further processing. The photoresist composition comprises, as the essential ingredients, (a) an alkali-soluble resin such as a copolymer of hydroxystyrene and styrene; (b) a compound capable of releasing an acid when irradiated with actinic rays such as tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) isocyanurate; (c) a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of melamine resins and urea resins substituted at the N-positions by methylol groups, alkoxy methyl groups or a combination thereof; and (d) a sensitivity improver which is hexa(methoxymethyl) melamine or di(methoxymethyl) urea, each in a specified proportion.

Abstract: Proposed is a novel undercoating composition used in the photolithographic patterning of a photoresist layer by intervening between the substrate surface and the photoresist layer to decrease the adverse influences of the reflecting light from the substrate surface. The undercoating composition of the invention comprises (a) a melamine compound substituted by methylol groups and/or alkoxymethyl groups and (b) a polyhydroxy benzophenone compound, diphenyl sulfone compound or diphenyl sulfoxide compound, optionally, with admixture of (c) an alkali-insoluble resin of a (meth)acrylic acid ester.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel chemical-sensitization type negative-working photoresist composition capable of exhibiting high sensitivity to actinic rays and giving a patterned resist layer with high resolution and excellently orthogonal cross sectional profile of the patterned resist layer without occurrence of microbridges. The composition comprises (a) a poly(hydroxystyrene)-based resin; (b) a compound capable of releasing an acid by the irradiation with actinic rays such as tris(2,3-dibromopropyl) isocyanurate; and (c) a crosslinking agent such as a urea resin and melamine resin, each in a specified weight proportion, the poly(hydroxystyrene)-based resin as the component (a) having such a dispersion of the molecular weight distribution that the ratio of the weight-average molecular weight M.sub.w to the number-average molecular weight M.sub.n does not exceed 1.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating bowlegs, which is simple in structure and easy in operation, gives no pains to the patients, while keeping the patient in a very stable and safe condition. The apparatus comprises a stationary platform 1, a tilted rotary plate 3 being located inside the platform 1 and having, on its top, a tilted surface 4 in the form of an inverted cone, a motor 2 for turning the tilted rotary plate 3 together with a patient standing upright on the tilted surface 4, and a control panel 7 for controlling the speed of rotation of the motor 2. The tilted rotary plate 3 is connected to the motor 2 in such a way that the plate 3 can be replaced with one of other tilted rotary plates having different angles of inclination.

Abstract: A dual purpose cassette is disclosed that allows the feeding of sheets in either a short edge or long edge direction. The cassette has openings on the short edge and long edge of its base and side portions so that depending on which direction the cassette is inserted into the machine sheets can be fed in the longitudinal or lateral directions.

Abstract: A modular sheet feeding apparatus for connection to a copying machine is disclosed in which a series of tables are mounted as a group and individually positioned for sheet feeding into a copier main frame. The modular apparatus can either include its own feed rolls for each table or use one feed roll that is mounted within the main frame to be moved into and out of sheet feeding position.

Abstract: An exchange system includes a plurality of terminal devices, a plurality of interface devices for transmitting signal data and control data among the terminal devices and the interface devices on the basis of a two way bidirectional burst transmission system, and a control circuit which assigns a time slot to a PCM highway according to control data transmitted through a control highway from one of the interface devices, and transmits within the assigned time slot the signal data through the PCM highway to a selected one of the interface devices, through the PCM highway. Each of the terminal circuits generates 2-bit mode data representing the type of the terminal device. The control circuit assigns one or two time slots to the PCM highway according to the mode data.